Second comment on 'The climate mitigation gap: education and government recommendations miss the most effective individual actions'

Rebecca Laycock Pedersen; David P. M. Lam

doi:10.1088/1748-9326/aac9d0

Second comment on 'The climate mitigation gap: education and government recommendations miss the most effective individual actions'

Rebecca Laycock Pedersen
, David P. M. Lam

Institut für Ethik und Transdisziplinäre Nachhaltigkeitsforschung

Publikation: Beiträge in Zeitschriften › Kommentare / Debatten / Berichte › Forschung

18 Zitate (Scopus)

255 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Wynes and Nicholas (2017a Environ. Res. Lett. 12 1–9) recently published an article that reviewed academic and grey literature to identify the most impactful individual actions for reducing carbon emissions in developed countries, identifying having 'one fewer child' as by far the most impactful action. This action was recommended with little context considering its controversial nature. We argue that there are three issue-areas that Wynes and Nicholas should have engaged with to improve the clarity of their recommendations and reduced the potential for misunderstanding, which are (1) the extent to which individual actions in one's private life can address climate change in relation to collective actions and actions in the professional sphere (2) the role of overconsumption in driving climate change and (3) the extent to which family planning is a human right. We also suggest that engagement with these issue-areas are a step towards a better practice in academic writing on population as an environmental issue.

Originalsprache	Englisch
Aufsatznummer	068001
Zeitschrift	Environmental Research Letters
Jahrgang	13
Ausgabenummer	6
Seitenumfang	5
ISSN	1748-9318
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/aac9d0
Publikationsstatus	Erschienen - 13.06.2018

Bibliographische Notiz

Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 The Author(s). Published by IOP Publishing Ltd.

UN SDGs

Dieser Output leistet einen Beitrag zu folgendem(n) Ziel(en) für nachhaltige Entwicklung

SDG 3 – Gute Gesundheit und Wohlergehen
SDG 7 – Erschwingliche und saubere Energie
SDG 13 – Klimaschutzmaßnahmen
SDG 16 – Frieden, Gerechtigkeit und starke Institutionen

Fachgebiete und Schlagwörter

Nachhaltigkeitswissenschaft

ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete

Öffentliche Gesundheit, Umwelt- und Arbeitsmedizin
Erneuerbare Energien, Nachhaltigkeit und Umwelt
Umweltwissenschaften (insg.)

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10.1088/1748-9326/aac9d0Lizenz: CC BY

DownloadEndgültige, publizierte Fassung, 598 KBLizenz: CC BY

BOTTOM-UP SUSTAINABILITY TRANSFORMATIONS: Supporting local actors fostering change towards sustainability
Lam, D. (Wissenschaftliche Projektleiter*in)
01.09.16 → 31.12.20
Projekt: Dissertationsprojekt
Leverage Points for Sustainability Transformation: Institutions, People and Knowledge
Vilsmaier, U. (Wissenschaftliche Projektleiter*in), Lang, D. J. (Wissenschaftliche Projektleiter*in), Newig, J. (Wissenschaftliche Projektleiter*in), Fischer, J. (Wissenschaftliche Projektleiter*in), Schomerus, T. (Wissenschaftliche Projektleiter*in), von Wehrden, H. (Wissenschaftliche Projektleiter*in), Sieveking, A. (Projektmitarbeiter*in), Klaniecki, K. T. (Projektmitarbeiter*in), Dorninger, C. (Projektmitarbeiter*in), Clarke, E. A. (Projektmitarbeiter*in), Horcea-Milcu, A. I. (Projektmitarbeiter*in), Lam, D. (Projektmitarbeiter*in), Patru-Duse, I. A. (Projektmitarbeiter*in), Jager, N. W. (Projektmitarbeiter*in), Derwort, P. (Projektmitarbeiter*in), Patru-Duse, I. A. (Projektmitarbeiter*in), Apetrei, C.-I. (Projektmitarbeiter*in), Freeth, R. C. (Projektmitarbeiter*in), Engbers, M. (Projektmitarbeiter*in), Peukert, D. (Projektmitarbeiter*in), Berkau, A. J. (Projektmitarbeiter*in), Lutz, L. M. (Koordinator*in), Leventon, J. (Wissenschaftliche Projektleiter*in) & Abson, D. (Wissenschaftliche Projektleiter*in)
Niedersächsisches Ministerium für Wissenschaft und Kultur
01.04.15 → 31.03.21
Projekt: Forschung

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abstract = "Wynes and Nicholas (2017a Environ. Res. Lett. 12 1–9) recently published an article that reviewed academic and grey literature to identify the most impactful individual actions for reducing carbon emissions in developed countries, identifying having 'one fewer child' as by far the most impactful action. This action was recommended with little context considering its controversial nature. We argue that there are three issue-areas that Wynes and Nicholas should have engaged with to improve the clarity of their recommendations and reduced the potential for misunderstanding, which are (1) the extent to which individual actions in one's private life can address climate change in relation to collective actions and actions in the professional sphere (2) the role of overconsumption in driving climate change and (3) the extent to which family planning is a human right. We also suggest that engagement with these issue-areas are a step towards a better practice in academic writing on population as an environmental issue.",

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KW - family planning

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Second comment on 'The climate mitigation gap: education and government recommendations miss the most effective individual actions'

Abstract

Bibliographische Notiz

UN SDGs

Fachgebiete und Schlagwörter

ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete

Zugriff auf Dokument

Fingerprint

Projekte

BOTTOM-UP SUSTAINABILITY TRANSFORMATIONS: Supporting local actors fostering change towards sustainability

Leverage Points for Sustainability Transformation: Institutions, People and Knowledge

Dieses zitieren